The Bombers had five withdrawals, including key positional players Jason Morgan, Brad Mangan and Nic Jephson, from the previous week’s team and close to 10 senior players still sidelined with injuries.
But they played with plenty of enthusiasm and commitment to get the vital win.
One big bonus in the 51 points winning margin was the performance of midfielder and Queensland recruit Bailey Tome who produced the best of his three games with the Bombers.
He won the tough ball in the clinches and was instrumental in a lot of positive outcomes on the scoreboard in a 33 possessions performance.
On the debit side was his Queensland teammate Jake Torney added his name to Kyabram’s lengthy injury list, pulling a hamstring late in the game. He could miss a month.
Tome, Josh Dillon, Will Golds, Liam Ogden, Jackson Griffiths and Brad Whitford were the players to generate most of Kyabram’s winning drive, while ruckman Cameron Khoo’s dominant second half set up Kyabram’s third-term surge, its most productive quarter for the game.
The Bombers kicked seven goals in this term to take a stranglehold on the game and a 53 points lead into the last change.
Early it was reserves skipper Will Wild, a late call up who stepped up and got Kyabram rolling with its first two goals of the game and a match tally of four, only matched by Anthony Depasquale, who kicked three of his four goals for the match in the Bombers’ dominant third term.
The Bombers blooded thirds skipper Oscar Dixon and Liam Dillon earned promotion with his consistent form in the reserves, while under-18 talent Tyler Norman again showed his class at times along with Bohden Learmonth.
Defender Aidan Robinson was also steady in defence, particularly early, and got strong support again from Whitford, Torney and Jake Parkinson.
Coach Corey Carver was again proud of his players’ commitment to get through the game with a win given the circumstances.
He is now hoping key players in Morgan (hamstring), Mangan (back) and Eamonn Ogden (shoulder) will come up for this Saturday’s massive challenge against white-hot flag favourite Echuca at Echuca.
Other players currently on the Kyabram injured list in Mick Mattingly (back disc bulge), Charlie Barnett (ankle) and Riley Ironside (leg fracture) are not expected to be chances to return until after the general bye on Saturday week.
My best for Kyabram: Bailey Tome, Josh Dillon, Liam Ogden, Jackson Griffiths, Will Golds, Brad Whitford, Will Wild, Cameron Khoo, Anthony Depasquale.
· With Benalla reserves forfeiting, the thirds game became the curtain raiser to the main game with Kyabram scoring a resounding 82 points win.
The young Bombers were up and about early, kicking 6.2 to 1.1 in the first term to set the mood for the game.
Kyabram had influential players in ‘‘Mad’’ Max Carroll, Hamish Stewart and Lachlan Carver who applied the scoreboard pressure on the visitors.
Carroll was particularly lively in attack with a five goals haul, Stewart got three goals and Carver, also one of the prime movers in the win, slotted two.
Kyabram moved Jay Gentle from a wing to centre half-back when skipper Oscar Dixon was a late promotion to the seniors and he provided plenty of dash and was well supported by Mr Consistency, Max “Nugget” Carroll.
In his second game after missing for a year with an ACL, Cohan Cooper also got plenty of the ball, while Charlie Isaac and Hunter Fawcett also made an impact.
But its back to reality this Saturday when the young Bombers tackle Echuca which narrowly won the battle of the two best sides in the competition against Shepparton on Saturday.
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